Colombo : President Maithripala Sirisena, who today jointly opened with Prime Minister Narendra Modi the renovated Duraiappah Stadium in Sri Lanka’s northeen Jaffna province, said this move is another opportunity to enhance the friendship between the two countries.
The Lankan President said it was a privilege to open the renovated stadium, reports the Colombo Page.
Prime Minister Modi joined President Sirisena in Jaffna through digital video conferencing.
The stadium, named after of former Mayor of Jaffna, late Alfred Thambirajah Duraiappah, has been renovated by India at a cost of over seven crore rupees.
It has a seating capacity of 1,850 and will provide the necessary infrastructure to promote sports and recreational activities, and assist the overall development of the youth of the Northern Province in Sri Lanka. The stadium has not been in use since 1997.
The renovated stadium will provide the necessary infrastructure to promote sports and recreation activities and benefit more than 50 thousand students from different schools and educational institutions in the northern province.
Prime Minister Modi and President Sirisena also witnessed the first major event at the renovated stadium, which is a celebration of the second International Day of Yoga.
Eight thousand people performed yoga on the sports ground and around 1500 to 1800 people watched the proceedings of the event.(ANI)